Weathering the Tempest
by MistressArafaxdeep
Summary: ItaTema oneshot. Temari was on a scouting mission the day after Itachi murdered his family. The two meet in the woods, sharing a shelter during a storm. Spoiler-ish if you know what's going on. Contest entry for the ItaTema FC on Deviant Art.


The smell of approaching rain hung in the air. Heavy clouds darkened the sky making the shady forest almost black. Temari shivered in anticipation as a gust of wind buffeted against her, making her tree hopping nearly impossible. She landed on the ground, deciding that her scouting mission could be put on hold until the storm blew over. She knew her brothers would likely decide the same thing, Kankuro because he didn't like getting wet, and Gaara because the water would get his sand wet and make it harder to use effectively.

The wind swirled wickedly, blowing the leaves off and making the trees groan as they bent. A flash shot through the sky, followed several seconds by a peel of thunder as the sound of the rain gently falling on the treetops reached Temari's ears. Yes, a storm was brewing. Temari, having lived in the desert the ten years since her birth, rarely got to experience this and was looking forward to it. She couldn't wait to feel the rain pounding against her skin, wetting her hair so that it would stick to her face with each gust of wind.

Lightning lit up the sky, visible even through the thick trees. The roar of thunder that followed shook the ground. Seconds later, the barrier that had held back the sky split open and the storm threw out all of its fury. Torrents of rain fell through the canopy of trees as if it wasn't even there. The wind picked up, sending a shiver of cold down Temari's spine. As alluring as the prospect of standing in a storm was, Temari was smart enough to know that it was in her best interest to find some shelter. Her brothers, especially Gaara, would be upset if she got sick and required extra attention. And she desperately tried to keep Gaara content considering his mental instability.

She made her way through the dim forest, carefully avoiding fallen branches as she searched for someplace dry to weather the storm. She wasn't being especially careful about concealing herself, figuring that anybody travelling in this storm was likely to have already found shelter. So she was surprised when she stumbled across a boy not much older than herself leaning against a tree. She couldn't tell if it was raindrops or tears that fell down his cheeks. The pained look on his face gave her reason to believe it was the latter, however.

She took in the scene, analyzing as well as her young, but highly trained, mind could. He was obviously a shinobi from the weapons he carried and the outfit he sported. He was also covered with mostly washed away blood. Temari didn't know exactly what to do. If he was a shinobi, he should have been able to sense her presence. He was making no move to show that he had, but that was perhaps a ruse. She stealthily moved forward, trying to approach him and get the upper hand. Her plan was foiled when she slipped on the wet, moss covered ground. She landed with a dull thud. The boy glanced over at her, startled from his sorrow for an instant, then promptly returned to sobbing.

Temari stood up, brushed herself off as well as she could. She looked up at the older boy, trying to figure out what to say to him. He had stopped sobbing long enough to look down at her, black eyes lined with red veins, presumably from crying for so long. His disheveled black hair was soaking wet, falling into his ashen face. Temari took in the sight of him, sizing him up as she squared her shoulders and boldly told him the first thing that came to her mind, "You're a shinobi and crying. You must be weak."

He stared down at the object in his left hand, a hitai-ate from what Temari could tell in the dim light, before giving Temari a bleak look. "Perhaps I am," was his emotionless reply.

The voice shook Temari. There was something disturbing and threatening about this boy. She could feel it in the same way she could feel it emanate from Gaara. She proceeded cautiously, keeping her 

distance, prepared for any move he might make. She lowered her voice, softened her tone, trying her hardest not to offend the boy.

"What are you doing out here?"

The raven-haired boy was done crying. Clearly, now that he was with another shinobi he was going to act as a proper ninja should. "The same could be asked of you."

"I'm on a mission. Scouting the land," Temari said honestly.

"Aren't you a little young for missions?" the mysterious boy asked.

"I am ten," Temari announced. "My younger brothers are with me, and they're both nine and seven."

The boy eyed her, glancing around for any sign of the mentioned brothers, before looking at the headband tied around her neck. "You're from Sunakagure, then?"

"Yes," Temari answered.

Silence passed between them. Temari realized that she was getting quite wet and more than anything would like to have a fire to warm herself. "I'm Sabaku no Temari," she formally introduced herself. "I don't know who you are, but if you'd like to share a campfire with me tonight, that'd be okay with me."

The boy looked at her, uncertain, before nodding. "Itachi," he said, sounding far away and extremely sad. "You can call me Itachi."

Temari found a small rock overhang. It wasn't much in the way of shelter but it would suffice for the night. Gathering what dry wood she could, she set herself to making a small fire. The made a neat stack, placing kindling underneath. She reached for a couple of kunai knives, planning to use them to create a spark. Before she could implement her plan, Itachi placed a hand on her arm, stopping her. She looked up at him, and he motioned for her to move. She watched him form hand signs, and then a small stream of flame travelled seemingly from the boy's mouth to the stack. The wood lit, and the fire stream ceased.

Itachi sat back, letting out a sigh as he leaned against the rock. Temari also sat, keeping ample distance between the two of them. Silence hovered over the two, and oppressive force that Temari more than anything wished to shoo away. But it seemed that Itachi longed for the comfort of that silence, so she didn't press the matter.

It wasn't long before she was decently cold. Moving closer to the fire, she wrapped her arms around herself to keep warm. Itachi came up beside, pulling off his shirt so that the heat could warm his skin directly and not have to travel through a layer of drenched fabric. Temari saw the wisdom in this move. "Do you mind if I…" she asked for permission. Itachi shrugged so Temari pulled off her dress leaving her in her light undershirt and shorts. She was not concerned about attracting his attention to her physical body. She was still too young to have developed womanly curves. When she looked back over at her camping partner he had the headband he'd been holding earlier in his hands. He turned it over and over, every once in a while stopping to gaze at its face.

"Is that important to you?" Temari asked quietly.

"Mm…" Itachi answered. "It is complicated."

"Oh," Temari said.

He turned the face in her direction so that she could see what he'd been staring at. He was from Konoha, she could tell that easily. It was the line through the symbol that gave her pause. A line through the village symbol. It could only mean one thing. "You're a missing nin," she remarked, keeping her surprise concealed.

He nodded. "It was… I… hurt the person closest to me. My poor little brother…" He put his head in his hands, hiding despair and shame. "I love him so much."

Temari couldn't really follow what he was trying to say. "I love my little brothers, too," Temari said quietly.

He looked over at her. "Tell me about them," he demanded in a tone that suggested that she didn't have to say anything if she didn't really want to.

"Well… Kankuro, he's the oldest. He likes puppets a lot. It's actually his dream to become like Akasuna Sasori, one of the greatest puppet masters of all time. The other… well… he's complicated," Temari trailed off, not wanting to tell Gaara's secret to some boy she barely knew.

The boy looked at her. "So you're the children of the Kazekage," he stated, clearly having been informed of her village's mishaps.

"Yes. So you know about my youngest brother, then?"

"I've heard of him, yes," Itachi answered, not willing to say any more.

"Yeah… Gaara's a handful. I spend most of my time trying to keep him content. I've had my share of frightening experiences…" The mention of it brought the images to her mind, of the times she would have rather forgotten. She shuddered from the horror.

Itachi gave her a grave look, almost as if he was concerned for her safety. "Don't worry though," Temari added cheerfully. "I still love him. He's all I have left of my mother. Well other than this," Temari added as she showed him the necklace around her neck. "I'd fight to the death in order to protect both of them. My brothers, I mean. Not the necklace."

Itachi nodded. "I know the feeling."

Temari gave him a sideways glance. He was a missing nin, but he didn't seem the type to betray his village. If he was even one quarter as loyal to his brother as she was to hers, she rather doubted his ability to betray anyone. "What did you do?" she asked suddenly, looking for some sort of answer to her questions.

"I… am the sword hand that cut off the treasonous arm." His cryptic language confused Temari, but she nodded. "And in the process I separated myself from the rest of the body." His gaze drifted out to the trees, as he searched for what else he could tell her. With a sigh, he added, "The head forced me to remove the arm I was a part of. So I did. I killed them. Every single one of them. Everyone except my little brother. He's the only one left."

Temari wasn't exactly sure what the confession meant, but it seemed like he had been forced to commit a terrible crime. She could gather that much. "Who did you kill?" she asked cautiously.

"My family. And my poor little brother is all alone now. He's the only one left. He knows that I killed them and he will come after me, someday. And to cleanse my blood soaked hands, I will let him take my life."

Temari looked at the young man, questions burning in her eyes. "How old are you?"

Itachi glanced over. "I'm thirteen. A former member of the ANBU Black Ops."

Temari was shocked. His status meant that he was immensely powerful. To reach ANBU at age thirteen was unheard of. She would be sure to ask her father about any remarkable chuunin he could remember from past exams. "I take back what I said about you earlier," Temari said. "You're not weak."

A ghost of a smile crossed his face, eerie from its lack of emotion. "Perhaps."

Temari smiled. The boy was an enigma. She doubted she'd get anymore out of him, but she was pleased with herself for getting as much as she had. "I hope you find some inner peace," Temari told him. "You must be carrying quite the burden."

"Yes," he said, glancing down at the cloth in his hands.

"I won't ask any more questions. I won't tell anyone about meeting you. But I do ask one thing." Itachi looked at her, puzzled. Temari reached up and undid the clasp on her necklace. She held it out to him. "Wear this. To remember that at least one person wants you to find peace. That there is one person out here who doesn't hate you or want you dead."

Itachi searched her eyes, then shook his head. "I can't take it. It was your mother's. Keep it."

Temari's eyes hardened. "I don't need the necklace to remember her. That's what my brothers are for. You don't have your brother with you anymore. Take my necklace. I'm not taking it back, and if you don't wear it, it's going to sit under this rock for eternity."

Itachi sighed, resigned. "Fine." He picked up the object from her hand, looking at the three circles held together by the chain. He put it around his neck, fastening it underneath his ponytail.

Temari smiled, cocking her head to the side. "It looks good on you," she said. He smiled tiredly at the compliment. "Don't ever take it off," Temari warned. "If I ever get to see you again, I'll be the one killing you if you're not wearing it."

He nodded his understanding, absently playing with the jewelry. "Thank you," he whispered.

The rain still had not let up, and it was getting late. Temari yawned. "I'm getting tired," she said. Itachi nodded. She laid back, finding a comfortable patch of ground, and then curled up, arm under her head as a pillow. Itachi sat staring at the fire for a little bit, lost in his own thoughts, consumed in the memory of the previous night. The caked blood had washed off of his skin, but the metallic tang still clung to the inside of his nostrils. He looked over at Temari, who was still shifting in an attempt to get comfortable. He stood up, laying the headband by his discarded shirt.

He lay down beside Temari, his back against hers. She turned over, hugging him to keep warm. He could feel her shivering, so he turned over, and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her tight against him. She snuggled into his chest, and released a little sigh of contentment. "I haven't been hugged since my mother died," Temari whispered. Itachi could see what looked like a tear fall down her cheek.

He hugged her tighter then, gently rubbing her back. She needed as much comfort as he did. She was the oldest sibling, just like him. He understood how much she tried to be strong. To be the one that her brothers could rely on. She was the only one they had. Itachi moved closer to her ear, and whispered, "I wish I was like you. I wish I could be the one for my brother to rely on."

Temari nodded, already drifting off to sleep. "Will you promise me something?" he asked. "Keep an eye on my brother. His name's Sasuke." Temari imperceptibly nodded, then was in a deep sleep. Itachi smiled gratefully at the sleeping form. He whispered to her sleeping form. "Thank you. You have already given me hope, Temari. Sasuke deserves a sibling like you. Not me. I'm nowhere near good enough for him." He coughed gently, dismayed at the little drops of blood that dotted his hands. He wiped it away before he kissed her forehead and tried to get a few hours of sleep himself.

Xxxxx

When Temari woke up the next morning, Itachi was gone. There was no sign of him, but Temari had expected that. He wouldn't want to stay in one place too long. There were probably people searching for him. She, however, needed to find her brothers before they got too worried. She pulled on her dress, and moved silently out into the woods. She found them easily enough, both of them already in the designated meeting spot. "Quite a storm, eh?" Kankuro asked.

Temari nodded. "Sure was. I stayed under a rock overhang overnight. Didn't want to get sick or something."

Gaara glared at both of them, and the two instantly stopped talking. "The mission's finished. There's nothing to report."

Xxxxx

"Father?" Temari asked, getting the brown haired man's attention away from his paperwork. "In the last few chunin exams, was there someone extremely outstanding?"

The Kazekage eyed her speculatively, replying, "Yes. Why do you ask?"

"I heard that the Leaf Village had a thirteen year ANBU. To do that, there would have been someone extremely talented in the chunin exams a few years ago."

The Kazekage sighed, nodding his head. "Yes. There was a boy. Quite impressive talent. A member of the Uchiha clan. I just got a note from Konoha yesterday. The kid's a missing nin now. He slaughtered his clan. Anyone who sees him is supposed to kill him or take him back to the village."

"What was his name?" Temari asked, fearful because she knew exactly who her father was talking about.

"Itachi. Uchiha Itachi."

Xxxxx

Uchiha Itachi was dead.

Temari had only heard the news, from her brother's mouth as he explained her new mission. Send back-up to Konoha. They were under attack. Uchiha Sasuke had unknown motives for the attack. His brother was dead. He should have returned peacefully.

Temari listened to her brother, but her thoughts drifted back to that night she'd spend with the legendary Uchiha Itachi. He'd said he'd planned on letting his brother kill him. She had never told anyone about him. She stored the name in her mind, always clinging to the promise that she'd maybe see him again. The mention of his name always had her heart pounding, out of concern for him and the admiration she had for him. She hadn't watched over Sasuke as she'd promised. She was too far away, too burdened with other concerns.

Now she wanted to go find him, even though he was dead. Even though she had other things to do. "Gaara," she asked quietly, "Do you mind if I take a little detour on the way to Konoha?"

"Why?" he inquired curiously.

"I have a personal matter to attend to. It won't take me long. I promise."

Gaara nodded. Over the years, he'd changed tremendously. He cherished his sister and brother the most. They were important to him. Even though Temari's request would probably create more problems than it would solve, he felt he had to make things up to her. Letting her go was one of those ways. "Thank you," she whispered before disappearing out of the office.

Travel was quick for Temari. She was using her chakra to manipulate the wind. Making it push her from behind and make her strides reach longer. She didn't know exactly where she was going, but she knew the showdown had taken place in Fire country. She just had to find where. She asked around and got herself headed in the right direction.

During her trip she ran into one of the few remaining members of the Akatsuki. She squared her shoulders, looking at the eye hole in his orange mask and said, "I'm looking for the body of Uchiha Itachi."

She couldn't read his expression, hidden as it was under the mask, but apparently he decided to humor her. He led her to his preserved body. A gasp let itself out of her throat. He looked the same as she remembered, only he looked so serene now. A smile was on his face. Temari placed a hand on his head and whispered, "I'm glad you found your peace." She reached for the necklace on his neck, twisting it around to find the clasp. The pulled it off of him, reaching up to replace it on her own neck after eight years without it. "You were never alone. I was always with you."

A single tear slid down her cheek as she turned to leave. The orange-masked man didn't follow after her, and even though she surprised, she didn't question her luck. She turned and headed toward the village of Konoha, her next destination. As she ran, she fiddled with the necklace, whispering, "Your memory will be with me forever. You will never be alone."


End file.
